Sunday 7 October 2012 10.53 EDT
First published on Sunday 7 October 2012 10.53 EDT

The 33-1 outsider Solemia denied Japan a first victory in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe when the unfancied filly got up in the last few strides to beat Orfevre at Longchamp on Sunday.

Everything appeared to have gone to plan for Orfevre, who was well backed at the track by the travelling Japanese race fans.

Jockey Christophe Soumillon had the eventual second right out at the back, but he came cruising through in the straight and went at least two lengths clear of Solemia, even trading at 1-100 at one stage on the Betfair betting exchange.

However, the Carlos Laffon-Parias-trained four-year-old, who had always been up withe the leaders, showed bravery and a love of the very soft conditions under Olivier Peslier to give the rider his fourth win in the race. The Godolphin-owned Masterstroke was third.

Laffon-Parias said: "She had a hard first part of the season so we gave her a two-month break and started to prepare her for the Arc. Soft ground is very important to her, but Olivier made the difference. I hoped she might get a place and obviously this is much better."

Solemia was last seen finishing third behind Shareta in the traditional Arc trial, the Prix Vermeille, but the winner that day never showed with a chance on the testing ground in Paris.

Camelot, the Aidan O'Brien-trained 2,000 Guineas and dual Derby winner, was given every chance by Frankie Dettori but did not quicken up in the home straight having been in a challenging position and finished well beaten.

Orfevre, meanwhile, had come from the unfavoured stall 18 and made up a tremendous amount of ground but became yet another agonising defeat for Japanese racing after El Condor Pasa, Deep Impact and Nakayama Festa in recent years.